Plastic cement composition for lightweight ceramic tile



Jan. 31, 1961 F. E. DRUMMOND PLASTIC CEMENT COMPOSITION FOR LIGHTWEIGHT CERAM Original Filed Oct. 14, 1953 IC TILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR FOL $0M E. DIQUMMO/VD BY W /(JMQ ATTORNEYS IC TILE Jan. 31, 1961 F. E. DRUMMOND PLASTIC CEMENT COMPOSITION FOR LIGHTWEIGHT CERAM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 14. 1953 INVENTOR FOL$OM 5. DRUMMOND ATTORNEY PLASTIC CEMENT COMPOSITION FOR LIGHT- WEIGHT CERAMIC TILE Folsom E. Drummond, Washington, D.C.

Original application Oct. 14, 1953, Ser. No. 385,955. Dsivideg and this application Aug. 24, 1954, Ser. No. 4 1,86

2 Claims. (Cl. 260-43) tiles. While plastic tiles and light-weight metal cver-.

ings have been employed for decorating walls and the like, such wall coverings are not as durable or attractive as ceramic tiling.

. Plastic shapes and plastic coated metal coverings, as well known, are relatively easily scratched and, marred, ascompared to ceramic tiles, which is a disadvantage. They also tend to become discolored upon ageing and when subjected to moisture and varying temperature conditions encountered in use. These disadvantages and undesirable characteristics of plastic wall coverings are avoided when use is made of ceramic or vitreous tiles. The fused clay surface of ceramic tiles provides a porcelain-like wear-resistant surface which is very durable. On the other hand, the weight and higher cost of ceramic tiles and their difficulty of application to surfaces have heretofore largely mitigated against their use except where cost is not a factor for consideration.

It is accordingly a principal object of this invention to provide a ceramic tile for aplication as a wall or floor covering and which is of light weight and easy to apply to a base structure. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a surface-covering article, such as wall tile or the like, which can be aplied labor or one having no particular knowledge of cements or ceramic tiling.

I Another object of this invention is to provide a surface covering of the character described which can be applied to a surface without the necessity of utilizing a separate cement or mastic. H

Another object of the invention is. to provide a surface-covering article, such as wall or floor tile, which is of light weight and wherein the requisite amount of adhesive or bonding mastic is already applied thereto, whereby it is not necessary to obtain separate cement or special adhesive for the insulation of the tiling.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ceramic tile which comprises a relatively thin ceramic fused coating which is interlocked with a base of glass fibers so as to form a ceramic tile which is of very light weight but is strong structurally.

Another object of the invention is to provide a surface-covering article of the character described wherein the cement or bonding mastic utilized for cementing the tiles to the surface to be decorated comprises a plastic resinous cement containing glass fibers and wherein the cement is flexible.

Another object is to provide a novel plastic cement the like wall or floor cover-i for use in bonding tiles or ings in place. .7 Still another object is to provide a cement for securing tiles and the like in place, which cement comprises glass fibers as a principal constituent. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be? come apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective and partly broken away showing a tile member composed of ceramic material andglass fibers interlocked and, fused to form a ceramic tile;

u trated in Figure l and Figure 2 is an enlarged'fra'gmenta'ry view in crosssection showinga wall 'portion decorated with tiling such as illustrated in Figure l, and showing the manner. of mounting the same Figure 3 is a plan view of a wall tile such as illuscarrying an underlying cementor adhesive layer for cementing the tile onto a supporting surface, the cement having a protective sheet disposed thereover which is normally tacky and pressure-sensitive; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tile as shown in Figure 1, and taken on line 4-4;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section view. similar as Figure 2 and illustrating a further modification of a wall tiling and its application;

Figure 6 is a similar v'iew'as Figures and showing an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a tiled wall portion wherein the cement or plastic adhesive material is applied only to the back of the tile and not in between the adjacent'abutting tiles, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modification of the tilestructure and fabrication shown in Figure 5.

The light weight ceramic tile of the present invention comprises an interlocking laminar structure in which the outermost layer is; generally fiat, rigid ceramic clay fused synthetic resin is preferably one to a backing layer of glass, fibers.

glass fiber layer or base of the tile the ceramic tile strength and prevent ing of the outer ceramic layer.

The ceramic body of the tile may be made of the usual ceramic constituents of such tiles as, for example, a mix: ture of shales, clays or clay with or without "coloring oxides. In order to produce colored tiles there is introduced into the clay or mixture of clay and shale, coloring oxides such as oxides ofcobalt, uranium, iron, manganese, chromium, titanium, etc. The mixture of clay and coloring oxides is fed into a pug mill and mixed, then passed through a de-airing chamber, then pressed out into the desired shapes, and then dried and fired to fuse the clay and form a vitreous ceramic tile. The wet clay or ceramic mass is pressed into the mass of glass fibers, which glass fibers are in the form of a mat or layer, and which readily receive the wet or plastic ceramic mixture,

The mastic or pressure-sensitive cementitious material used to permanently bond the tile to a surface to be decorated is preferably one which is flexible and which retains its adhesive and resilient properties during use and does not become brittle and easily fractured.

A suitable tacky mastic pressure-sensitive adhesive and one which may be applied directly to the back of the tile as illustrated in Figure 3, comprising a mixture of castor oil and filler, for example whiting (calcium carbonate) and powdered white resin, using about equal parts by' weight of each of the ingredients.

Other suitable setting cements may be used for bonding the tile, such as a mixture of resin and hydraulic cements, the constituents being added in the proportionate amount to produce a yieldable or resilient bonding cement. The which is thermoplastic,

The thickness of the is sufiicient to give on the supporting wall surface;-

chipping or crackas'afor ementioned. It should be water-resistant, elastic,

and firmly grip both the wall: or floor structure and glass fiber backing of the tile. A suitableresinous cement containing water glass consists of a polystyrene resin emulsion of morpholine oleate and chlorinated diphenyl plasticizer admixed with sodium silicate, the latter comprising up to about'60%' of the resin. The morpholine oleate and chlorinated diphenyl plasticizer comprises about MI -15% by weight of the total composition and" the resin comprises the remainder.

The silicate increases the working time of the composition and maintains the same in sufficient fluidity to cover Polyvinyl acetate:

Polymethyl methacrylate:

H CH3 5 i ii=o ACE: Polyvinyl alcohol acetal:

H H H H H 1'1 iI'IIhlBfr-CHrr- H ob on'r Thecopolymervinyl resinswhich' contain both Vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate are particularly useful as a flexible resin, one which retains its color and is water and chemical resistant. The copolymer vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate resin providesa very useful cementitious coating because it is chemically inert at ordinary temperature and is unaffected by strong or weak acids or by strong or weak alkalines. Further, the copolymer vinyl resin is insoluble in petroleum carbons and is not affected by alcohol, grease or water.

Other colorless flexible resins such as acryloid resins may also be used or suitable combinations of the acryloid. resins with nitrocellulose or cellulose acetate since this resin and mixture with nitrocellulose retains its color when exposed to sunlight and has excellent adhesive properties. Moreover, these resins are Water-white and are elastic similarly as rubber and resistant to water, alcohol, acid, mineral oils, greases, fumes, vegetable oil and animal fats.

In a preferred resinous composition wherein the plastic cement comprises glass fibers, the resin used preferably is a copolymer vinyl resin. 7 Such a resin is preferred because on porous and rough surfaces, such as concrete, cast iron and the like, it is possible to get sufiicient ad'- hesion by mechanical anchorage of the film of cement' so that baking is unnecessary. Utilizing vinyl resins the solvents usually employed are ketones, such as methyl and ethyl ketones, e.g., acetone. A mixture of solvents, such as methyl isobutyl ketone-toluene is especially useful with copolymer vinyl resins. As a plasticizer for the resin dibutyl phthalate, tricresyl phosphate, and the like, may be added. Other plasticizers such as phthalic diester' of monobutyl ether of ethylene glycol, dibutoxy ethyl phthalate and methoxy ethyl acetyl ricinolate may be employed. p

In order to produce'an elastic adhesive cement, the" proportion ofsolvent and plasticizer and glass fiber, when present, may bevaried, depending upon the desired consistency of the cement and physical condition of the" surface upon which the cement is applied.

The addition of' fillers, such as whiting as aforemern tioned, barytes, carbon black, metal oxides and the like; may be made'to produce a cement having the desired color and body. Generally, the, ceramic tile is of one" color and the cement or mortar therebetween is of a contrasting color. Where a pressure-sensitive cement or adhesive mastic is applied to the back of the tile, the color of the cement is usually not of importance.

In preparing a resinous-glass fiber cement or mastic for bonding the tile to a wall or the like surface, the composition may consist of the following typical mix ture:

, Part by wt; Vinyl chloride-acetate copolymer 25'-7 5 Dibutyl phthalate 1040' Whiting 5-10 Castor oil 2- 5' Methyl ethyl ketone 15-40 The'copolyrner used in this instance consists of by weight of vinyl chloride and' 15% by weight vinyl acetate. Dibutyl phthalate is'used as a plasticizer. Other plasticizers may be substituted therefor, e.g;., diethylhexyl' phthalate or the like, as aforementioned;

To the above plastic resinous cement isintroduc'edf glass fibers inthe proportion from between ab'outl0%' to. 3.0%, by weight ofthe plastic resinous cement, the proportionate amount of glass fibers introduced depending to some extent upon the particle size of-the fibers and desired plasticity of the cement.

Glass fibers of small diameter arerpreferred, e.g.,,l micron and. lower because they possessv ahigher tensilestrength. per square inchsthan larger. diameter fibers Fibers having a diameter of 0.1 micron arepreferredbut theyrnayrange from 0.05: to 1.5 microns. Largendiam eter glass fibers also may be used where high tensile tron is pressed into the layer of glass fibers.

strength is; neta factor. 1 The glass fibers; reinforce the resinous binder and strengthen it, rendering it more resilient and adher'ent'to the wall and tilesurfaces. The plastic glassfiber cement is made to interlock with the ceramic tile and firmly hold the same to the wall or supportingsurface.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated in Figure 1 a ceramic tile constructed in accordance with thisjinvention. The tile comprises an outer ceramic, fused clay surface surface 11 which comprises glass fibers. of glass fibers is made up in the form of mixture of clay and The layer 11 a mat and the ceramic material in wet or pug condi- Thereafter the interlocked layers of ceramic material and glass fibers is subjected to bakingand fusing of the clay to formthe tile. The outer surface 12 of the tile generally presents a glazed, smooth surface such as illustrated in In a tile structure as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the plastic cement, as shown at 14 in Figure 2, is used to unite the tile to the wall surface 15. As illustrated, the outer surface of the tile is preferably glazed or vitrified ceramic materialsimilarly as'fired clay products. The curved edges 16 of the tile also consist of vitreous or ceramic material, with the under-surface or backing being composed of glass fibers felted .or matted together forming a porous fibrous layer 11, as illustrated in Figure 2.

In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tile 18 is of similar shape as that shown in Figure 1, the. outer surface portion or shall being composed of fused clay or ceramic material 20. interlocked with this ceramic layer is a glass fibers layer 21. For bonding the tile to its supporting surface a cement 22 is applied to the under-surface of the tile, as illustrated in Figure 4. In order to protect the mastic or tacky pressure-sensitive cement 22 there is applied thereover a covering, such as a paper sheet 23. The protective sheet preferably is coated with a water-soluble gum on the surface which contacts the cement to facilitate its removal. Wax paper may also be used as a protective covering sheet.

The paper covering 23 is removed from the tile when the same is to be applied to the supporting wall or floor surface. It becomes necessary then merely to press the adhesive tacky cement back of the tile against the supporting surface and allow the same to dry.

In Figure 5 there is shown a modified tiling structure wherein the ceramic tile 25, constructed as shown and described in Figure 1, and having a glass fiber base layer 26, is laid in a flexible or plastic cement layer 27. The cement preferably comprises a resin-glass fibrous mixture as heretofore described. This cement adheres tenaciously to the supporting surface 30 and interlocks with the glass fibrous under-layer, as shown at 31 on the ceramic tile.

In the further modification illustrated in Figure 6, the ceramic tile 35, having the glass fibrous base layer 36, and constructed similarly as the tile shown in Figures 3 and 4, is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive cement layer 37 on the underside thereof. This tacky adhesive layer is applied to the underside of the tile and readily engages and interlocks with the glass fibers exposed at the base portion 39 of the ceramic tile which is laid on the wall or floor surface 40.

The tile structure illustrated in Figure 7 comprises a vitreous or glazed ceramic tile 45 embedded in a resilient layer of plastic material 46. This plastic layer 46 functions as a cushion between the ceramic tile and its supporting surface and compensates for any expansion and contraction characteristic differential therebetween. The plastic mass 46 comprises a mixture of glass fibers 47 and resin, the glass fibers constituting preferably about 20 to 50% by weight of the plastic, and such as to provide a hard, tough but flexible bonding material for tenaciously retaining the tile to a supporting surface, such as a wall or floor.

and having a backing or under-' thus firmly embedded glass fiber plastic.

Inthe preferred tile construction, the sarnecemprisestv an inwardly projecting abutment or peripheraI'fiange' QBI which increases the surface area of the tile in contact 'with" theresinous-glass fiber plastic 46. The tile portion 48 is in and interlocked with the resin- If desired, the abutment 48 may be shaped in the form of lugs or separate projections spaced around the underside ofthe tile and forming an integralpart thereof.

By providing the ceramic tile with an exposed undersurface layer of glass fibers which are partially fused together or in the form. of a mat, as illustrated in the drawings, the plastic cement which is applied thereto is mechanically anchored and interlocked with the base or underside of the ceramic tile and is thus bonded tothe wall surface.

Where the weight of the ceramic tile becomes an im-' portant factor, and it is desired. to keep the weightas low as possible, the amount of ceramic clay or vitreous material is reduced so that a thin shell of the ceramic" material is formed over the surface and the remainder of the tile comprises principally glass fibers in the form of a mat which is interlocked with the outer shell of the tile. In this manner a very lightweight ceramic tilemay be provided, one which is strong and tough and can be readily bonded to a wall supporting surface. 1

"Although the invention has been particularly described with respect to a tile having a fused or vitrified clay" surface, it will be understood that this glazed surface may be accomplished by utilizing a mixture of glass fiber and vitrifiable material, such as shale, clay, etc. Also, sheets of the tiling material may be made of blocks of two or more to form a tile-like structure. Further, by employing a tile of the character described, wherein the tile carries its own bonding cement, the tacky surface of which is protected by a temporary covering, the messy and tedious application of separate adhesive mastic from a separate container to the surface to be tiled, as required heretofore, is entirely eliminated. Advantageous use is made of plastic cements containing glass fibers to provide a cementitious material which is tough and resilient and clings tenaciously to the tile and wall surfaces.

As aforementioned, the cement may be formed of resin alone or mixed with other compatible film-forming substances such as nitrocellulose, cellulose esters, rosin and natural resins suitably plasticized. The mastic or cement as applied to the back of the tile also may comprise a mixture of polyvinyl chloride-acetate resin and ordinary cement such as Portlant cement. Such a mixture wherein the resin comprises about 10 to 25% by weight of the cement provides a suitable cement which retains its plasticity and does not become brittle and pull away from the base surfaces upon which it is applied.

The invention has been described with particular emphasis on wall and floor tiled surfaces, but it will be apparent that the principles of the invention are equally applicable to other types of surfaces which are adapted to receive such covering tile or article. Further, tiles of the present invention may be used for preparing signs, plaques and displays such as used in windows and advertising. Moreover, this surface-covering material and tiles of the present invention may be of other shapes than that shown and may have printed or other decorations formed in the surface, as desired.

It will further be understood that various other modifications and changes and substitutions of equivalents may be made in the construction and arrangement of the tile and tiled surfaces and which are within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 385,955, filed October 14, 1953.

I claim:

- 1. A resinous water-resistant, resilient, plastic cement for bonding lightweight ceramic tile to a supporting surfies.saia'pnstieeemenr consisting of'the following cempjesitio'n'r Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin 25-75 Dibutyl phthalate .J..-. 10-20 Whiting (calcium carbonate) -10 Gastor oil 2-5 Methyl ethyl ketone 15-40 Glass fiberssaid copol'ymer resin consisting of 85% vinyl chloride units and vinyl acetateunit's, and said glass fibers having a diameter of about'0;-1 micron and of a length to providea plastic resinous-cement. a

2. A resinous water-resistant, resilient, plastic cement for bonding ceramic tile to a supporting surface, said plastic cement comprising. the following constituents by weighg a copolyinerresin-consisting of 85% vinyl chloride .units-and 15%- vinyl acetate units, said copolymer resin-constituting -75 parts oflsaid plastic cement, dibutyl phthalatehplasticizer 10 to 20 parts, castor oil 2 to 51parts, whiting (calcium carbonate) 5 to 10 parts, methyl ethyl ketone 15' to 40 parts, and glass fibers from 10 m by weight of the plastic resinous cement, and wherein the glass fibers have a diameter of from 0.05 to 1.5 microns and-are ofa particle size to provide a cement ofplastic consistency.

Parts by weight Reference's'Cited in the fileo'f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,837 Ellis Oct.-17',i,-1=9 39r 2,311,233 Jaenicke et al *F eb.- 16;"1943'; 2,430,987 Linclner et a1. Nov. 1851947 2,446,119 White et a1. July 27,119 48 2,486,756 Murphy et al. Nov: 1,- 19.49 2,507,688 Armstrong May 16, 1950, 2,618,959 Watkins -Nov. 28,1952 2,625,498 Koch Jan; 13,; 1953 2,688,774 Malinowski et'al: Sept; 14, 1954' 2,692,220 Labino Oct. 19,1954; 2,718,829 Seymour Sept. 27,-1955" 2,751,962 Drummond June-26; 1956* a FOREIGN PATENTS p 537,583 Great Britain 1941 OTHER REFERENCES Concrete'f pa'g'es 12, and/i5, June"1949.

Bacon et' 211.; India. Rubber'Worjlivol. 125, No: 3

pages 323-24, December 1951.' in H (7 Powell et a1.: Modern Plastics, v 1, 28', No3- 10;'fpa:ges

.25 129-140, June1951. p 9,

Chemical Abstracts; vol. 39; column 10821, 1945:

' De Marco: ,Plasticlndustry', pages 19-23; August19'51 i 

1. A RESINOUS WATER-RESISTANT, RESILIENT, PLASTIC CEMENT FOR BONDING LIGHTWEIGHT CERAMIC TILE TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE, SAID PLASTIC CEMENT CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING COMPOSITION: PARTS BY WEIGHT VINYL CHLORIDE-VINYL ACETATE COPOLYMER RESIN 25-75 DIBUTYL PHTHALATE 10-20 WHITING (CALCIUM CARBONATE) 5-10 CASTOR OIL 2-5 METHYL ETHYL KETONE 15-40 GLASS FIBERS 10-30 SAID COPOLYMER RESIN CONSISTING OF 85% VINYL CHLORIDE UNITS AND 15% VINYL ACETATE UNITS, AND SAID GLASS FIBERS HAVING A DIAMETER OF ABOUT 0.1 MICRON AND OF A LENGTH TO PROVIDE A PLASTIC RESINOUS CEMENT. 